This thread is unlike the others: it is intended to provide answers to questions that are about how best to study for the MCAT, but that do not relate to a particular subject.

As you'll see, we're going to be treading delicately in the vicinity of the two most commonly-asked questions about MCAT preparation: should I take a prep course and which one. We need to address these, because they are so commonly asked and so important to so many forum participants. But it's difficult to do appropriately, and the reasons for that should be clear: (1) this isn't a commercial forum, and (2) our views are likely to be biased by our personal situations. I (Shrike) teach for The Princeton Review, and have done so for years. QofQuimica teaches for Kaplan, and has done so for years. Others among the experienced posters in this sub-forum also work, or have worked, for test prep companies. Most of us will baised in favor of test prep courses for many test-takers, and I suspect we also tend toward bias in favor of our particular companies. (We probably like what they do, or we would work elsewhere; I won't speak for others but I know this is true of me.) We're going to try very hard not to let those biases affect what they say, but it's almost inevitable that some partisanship will creep in. Take what we say with the appropriate amount of sodium chloride.

And just in case it isn't apparent (particularly to those who haven't watched our posts over the months and years), we are not working on this forum because of our connections to the business. We're not speaking for our employers, but for ourselves. Our companies didn't ask us to do this, don't give us anything for it, don't officially know we're doing it, and as far as I know would rather we didn't. We are doing this because we know you need answers, and we like helping. That's it.


Primary moderator: jmugele. Jmugele graduated with a bachelors in English and chemistry. He's been working in artificial intelligence software for the past 8 years. He scored 40S on the MCAT.

Occasional moderator: Shrike. Shrike is a full-time instructor for The Princeton Review. He has taken the MCAT twice for no good reason, once scoring 38T despite never having seen an organic chemistry book and last taking biology and chemistry before some of you were born. His schooling is in mathematics, physics, economics, and law.

All other team members from each of the other threads may also provide answers in this thread.

Maybe. It depends very much on too many variables for us to address your own situation adequately. Here are some of the things you should consider.

How well do you study on your own -- do you do better in groups? Do you have the discipline to spend four hours every night on the MCAT, even though there's no obvious direct benefit?

How close are you, right now, to your score goals? How do you know -- have you taken a full-length practice test? If you found out you weren't where you thought, or it were possible to improve a different amount from what you thought, would your goals change?

Do you have the money for the course?

Are the courses available to you any good? Are they taught by experienced instructors who will make things easier for you to understand and will be able to answer your questions, or are they taught by first-timers who will just read from the textbooks or lesson notes? How do you know these things? Ask your classmates about courses they've taken; ask the companies whose courses you're considering; try a course and see what you think (but make sure you can get your money back if it isn't what you hoped).

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QofQuimica here: I want to add that those of you who prefer independent study may want to consider taking a course on line rather than the live classroom course. The advantages are that it is cheaper, it is very convenient (you can study anywhere you have internet access, anytime 24-7) and you get most of the same course materials as the live course users. The disadvantage is that you do not have facetime with instructors if you want to ask questions, although you can email questions. This is basically what I did to prepare myself for the MCAT.

Test prep companies also offer private tutoring, but it is outrageously expensive. I personally do not feel that private tutoring gives most students the best value for their money. If you decide that you need extra help to learn your science content above and beyond the classroom lectures, I would suggest that you first try approaching your instructors before class or after class to ask questions.

Yes.

Really, we can't tell you. Not because we're being difficult, but because we don't know.

Kaplan and TPR (which stands for The Princeton Review) cover pretty much the same material, in pretty much the same way. Each provides lectures and practice passages in each of five subject areas; each provides loads of material from which to study; each has you take several practice tests under proctored conditions. Each provides some form of guarantee. Oh yes, each costs more than $1000. And don't forget, these things are true of the other prep courses out there, too. In many areas, Kaplan and TPR are the only games in town, but in other places there are other companies.

In this area, I have to exercise caution, but I'll try to be as objective as possible, though I actually have strong (and predictable) views.

The most important determinant of what you should choose is how well the individual courses that are available to you are taught. It's individual instructors that make a course work for you (or not), not the number of pages in the texts or anything else that is easily quantified. Ask around in your area about the courses you're considering: Are they taught by experienced instructors who will make things easier for you to understand and will be able to answer your questions, or are they taught by short-timers who will just read from the textbooks or lesson notes? Ask the local office which instructors are scheduled to teach the course you're considering, and how many times they've taught before. Ask how those instructors were trained -- by videotape, or in person? Ask to speak to some former students. Ask around your campus to see who's taken courses from those particular instructors, and what the students thought. Do your homework.

That said, there are systematic differences. The consensus among students, to the extent there is one, is that Kaplan is geared more toward self-studiers, while TPR is more of a comprehensive, lecture-based experience. This makes sense, considering that TPR's course offers many more hours of instruction. Kaplan is known for providing extensive resources, particularly at their offices; TPR gives students nearly though perhaps not quite as much, and provides everything to the student rather than at the office.

The companies' score improvement and satisfaction guarantees are subtly different; read the fine print.

The schedules will differ, of course, but that should be only a small factor: if you're serious about this, you'll choose the best option and then find a way to make it work.

TPR is usually slightly more expensive, but in context the difference is small.

Remember that there may be other prep courses available to you, too. This answer deals specifically only with the two we know best, but before committing your preparation for the most important test of your life to date to anyone's help, it behooves you to investigate all options. Ask the other guys the same questions detailed above.

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This is QofQuimica chiming in on Shrike's post here. I would like to second what he's already said, and emphasize again our joint belief that getting a good instructor is THE single most important determinant as to how positive an experience you will have with your test prep course. Word of mouth is the best way to find out who the good instructors are; ask your older pre-med friends who have already completed a course. In general, any test prep company's curriculum will prepare you for the MCAT, but (and this is a HUGE but!) you must complete all of the assignments, attend all of the classes, and take all of the proctored practice tests. This seems self-explanatory, but you'd be amazed how many students (or their parents) shell out large sums of money for test prep courses and then do not take advantage of the resources available to them. So if you do decide to go with a test prep course, take it seriously, and approach it as seriously as you would any of your regular college courses.

One other thing that I'd like to make you aware of if you didn't know already: many pre-health clubs (PAMSA, AED, etc.) make deals with both Kaplan and TPR to get reduced rates for their members to take our test prep courses. So if you decide to take a course, you may want to check with your local pre-health chapter about this.

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Shrike again: If you have the opportunity to take Q's (Kaplan) class, take it. If you have the opportunity to take my (TPR) class, take it. As we live a thousand miles from each other, you're unlikely to have to choose between us.

We don't know. Ask around. See above re what you want to ask.

How much time per day should I study?

How long before the test should I start studying?

Does it make sense to take the MCAT before I've taken physics?
Actually, it's not a terrible idea if you're getting professional test prep instruction. Many of my students have not had, or are currently taking, second-semester physics, and this works fine. A few haven't taken any college-level physics, and they have a lot of catching up to do but most manage if the instruction is competent.

If you're not taking a prep course, it's going to be difficult, and I don't personally recommend it, but obviously I haven't seen such students. I don't believe there's a consensus among other experienced posters on this issue.

Does it make sense to take the MCAT before I've taken organic chemistry?
No. Or so seems to be the consensus.

From jmugele: I posted that I thought a person could get away without taking genetics. But I think the opposite is true for organic chemistry. Although there's not a whole lot of orgo on the MCAT (although, that probably depends on the specific test -- I'm guessing it's roughly the same amount of material as genetics), organic chemistry is much more complex conceptually. I also found that a good organic chemistry class teaches you some really good abstract problem-solving skills that are helpful for test-taking in general. But overall, because orgo is so complex and because there is a lot of memorization, I think a class helps before the MCAT.

Does it make sense to take the MCAT before I've taken [some biology course, or some lab?]
Yes.

Yes, in my opinion. But the consensus is rather different.

Calculus was invented to solve physics problems, and many of those problems are a lot easier with calculus available. More importantly for us, some of the concepts are easier to understand with calculus, too. Anyone who makes it through calc-based physics will be better placed when the MCAT rolls around than he'd have been with algebra-based physics.

Unfortunately, we know it's not that simple. At some schools, calculus-based physics is really tough, in ways that do premeds little good. It therefore may be more difficult to maintain your GPA, and to absorb all of the material, if you opt for the calculus-based course.

Ask around your own campus. Ideally, you'll ask people who have taken calculus-based physics, and are about as sharp as you are at math. If you're considering choosing the calculus path, you're probably more mathematically inclined than the average premed. Unfortunately, you're probably less mathematically inclined than the average engineer, and these courses may comprise primarily engineers. Good luck with the data gathering.

One more thing: be very careful when choosing any physics course to ensure that the professor's English is clear. In physics, more than any other subject you're likely to take (except perhaps math), this is a frequent problem.

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QofQuimica: I would just like to add one other non-MCAT-related benefit of taking calculus-based physics, which is that it is a more rigorous course than pre-med physics. Remember that medical schools do look at the level of difficulty of the courses that you've selected. In general, it is best to take the most difficult courses available to you, assuming that you are able to do well in them.

I took one and I thought it helped. Genetics is getting more emphasis, but it's pretty basic genetics. I've noticed at least one pedigree question on each practice/actual test I took last year. Know the major types of inheritance (dominant, recessive, sex-linked) and these aren't too hard. Draw the pic and it becomes easier. Don't get suckered into wasting all your time.

Re: taking Genetics: The MCAT doesn't go super in depth on genetics, but it does cover it. So whether you need to take a specific genetics class totally depends on how well genetics was covered in your bio classes. If you spent substantial time (weeks) on it in bio, and you have a solid grasp of the material, you will do fine on that part of the MCAT, and needn't take another class. (Look over Kaplan/TPR prep materials to be sure that what is in there was covered in your basic bio classes - in mine it all was.)

... Genetics is getting more emphasis, but it's pretty basic genetics... Don't get suckered into wasting all your time.

I agree -- most of the genetics on the MCAT is pretty straightforward. A class may help, but most of the information you need, you can get from study guides or even by reading the relevant chapters in a biology text (I never took genetics, just checked out books from the library).

Probably. But it's fine if you take it your senior year, after you take the MCAT. For the MCAT, you do NOT need to take biochemistry if you have successfully completed organic II and a full year of general biology, although it certainly won't hurt you. However, most pre-meds should seriously consider taking a biochemistry course with lab because several medical schools are starting to require it. Check the MSAR to see whether any schools you think you might apply to have this requirement. If you're not sure where you want to apply, you should probably take biochemistry so that you will have the option down the road to apply to schools that require it.

Should I do the discrete questions first on the MCAT science sections?

Some of the other moderators may have other thoughts about this issue. My personal opinion is yes; in fact, I do the discrete questions first myself. The main reasons are that the discretes tend to be more straightforward than the passage-based questions, and they take less time to do because there isn't any passage to read. But there is also a good psychological rationale for doing the discrete questions first: since they tend to be quicker and less involved, getting through them quickly can build up your confidence before you start tackling the passages.

As with any strategy for taking the MCAT, if you are unsure about whether doing the discretes first works for you, you should try it on one or more practice tests well before test day.

Should I do the discrete questions first on the MCAT science sections?
Q's right, but there's even more reason to do what we at TPR call Free-Standing Questions first: even if they aren't quicker to do (and sometimes they're not), they tend to take a fixed amount of time -- there's really only one approach to these. On the other hand, there are a variety of ways to approach a passage, some more time-consuming than others. As you approach the time limit, you want all of the inflexible FSQs done, so you can adapt your methodology on the remining, passage-based questions to the time remaining.

On the other hand, if you're really fast, it doesn't matter what order you do the questions in.

On the other hand, if you're really fast, it doesn't matter what order you do the questions in.

I'm really fast, but I still do the discretes first for all the reasons we gave above. Still, I agree that if you don't have trouble finishing the section on time, then whether to do the discretes first is probably a question of personal preference. But for most students, it will probably save time to do the discretes first.

Which section did you people find the most time consuming to get through? Organic? General chemistry? Biology? Verbal? Physics?

Which section did you people find the most time consuming to get through? Organic? General chemistry? Biology? Verbal? Physics?

Do you mean the most time consuming to study or the most time consuming on the day of the test? I assume you mean what is the most time consuming test to take.

I think this really depends on what your strengths and weaknesses are. I think some people think that VR takes the most time because there's so much reading and reasoning to do. But some people are able to read quickly with a lot of retention and comprehension. I think the quickest is probably biology, because there's not as much reasoning on that section as on others. You either know the answer to a question or you don't (of course organic is a bit different).

For me, the most time consuming section was physics, because even if I didn't know the answer or formula relevant to a certain question right off the bat, I still wanted to try to figure a problem out with the information I did know. In physics, it definitely pays to know the formulas very quickly and to skip ahead if you don't know an answer immediately.

Which section did you people find the most time consuming to get through? Organic? General chemistry? Biology? Verbal? Physics?
I had one minute to spare for VR, 5 minutes to spare for PS, and about 15 minutes to spare for BS. I had no time to spare on WS, it seems--that is the hardest timewise because you have to set a mental schedule for how much time to give to each part of each sample.

I had ...
It does vary a lot, though Nutmeg's answer is typical. But if your strengths are different, your timing will be, too. I had no time on WS (but I wrote about twice as much as a typical student -- competely filled the book, writing very small), fifteen minutes on VR, maybe thirty-five minutes on PS, and zero extra on BS. Whatever you're weakest at, you expect to have the most trouble finishing; I'm a bit unusual in my distribution of skills, obviously.

Q's right, but there's even more reason to do what we at TPR call Free-Standing Questions first: even if they aren't quicker to do (and sometimes they're not), they tend to take a fixed amount of time -- there's really only one approach to these. On the other hand, there are a variety of ways to approach a passage, some more time-consuming than others. As you approach the time limit, you want all of the inflexible FSQs done, so you can adapt your methodology on the remining, passage-based questions to the time remaining.

On the other hand, if you're really fast, it doesn't matter what order you do the questions in.
I'm actually a pretty slow reader, but I went in with the idea that not finishing wasn't an option. I failed to complete the GRE Biochem test two weeks prior, and it screwed me. As such, I did everything in order and I read the passages thoroughly on the first pass so I could minimize my back-checking. I felt that spending time to devise a strategy would possibly cost too much time, so i just went "eye on the prize" in a dead run for the finish.

i tend to agree with the people who suggest doing the free standing questions first, they tend to give you the most "bang for your buck". they're quick, either you know 'em or you don't, and you don't want to be stuck at the end of a section leaving three or four free standing questions... i found it really helped me on the PS section where i tended to run short on time. just another opinion... :D

Which section did you people find the most time consuming to get through? Organic? General chemistry? Biology? Verbal? Physics?

studying: physics b/c I took that class over a decade before I took the MCAT.

on the test: I agree that the WS is the one where I was finishing with only a minute or two to spare. I finished the three multiple choice sections in a little over an hour each, with BS being the fastest for me, then PS, and VR last.

After taking a diag, what would be some good ways to go through it?

If the topic was something we haven't covered in class, should I wait for that lecture, or go ahead read up on it and try to figure out the anwer?

Also is it worth taking the same diag again?

Thanks!!

After taking a diag, what would be some good ways to go through it?

If the topic was something we haven't covered in class, should I wait for that lecture, or go ahead read up on it and try to figure out the anwer?

Also is it worth taking the same diag again?

Thanks!!

One of the most useful learning experiences for me was taking a diagnostic test, marking the questions I was uncertain of (in case I guessed correctly), and then looking up the correct answers. I would recommend taking as many diagnostics as I could and looking up all of the answers you could (not waiting for it to come up in class). I found it helps learning a subject to have specific problems to try to answer.

Regarding re-taking a test, I'm guessing that won't be as useful to you (are you really learning a subject or just remembering it from the previous test). Also, there are plenty of diagnostics out there, especially if you're taking Kaplan or TPR.

when studying for the mcat, i keep falling asleep, even though i got 10 hours of sleep. how do you manage to stay awake? i got myself a caramel frap so that it might help keep me awake, but i still fell asleep. when i am focused, i read for a little while, and then have to get up and walk around. this will be my 2nd time taking the mcat

how do u stay focused/awake?

Let me clarify something that I thought was implied at the top of the thread:

Anyone may ask questions in this forum. Before posting answers, you must have a moderator's permission. Moderators of other MCAT Study threads do not need need permission.

the fear of applying MSTP with a sub 30 scores keeps me awake and alert...


short of that, try tea (the buzz is mellower and more prolonged) and sometimes smelling perfume/cologne gets you pepped up for a bit. That was something that my RA freshman year (10 years ago; wow, I feel old suddenly) passed along to me and its always helped. :thumbup:
A good stay-awake method my sister taught me was strong gum (like Dentyne Ice or such--strong mint or cinnamon gum). Also works well for long drives. :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup:

Also, there's a dietary supplement called DMAE (dimethyl amino ethanol) which I heard Dr Perricone talk about in his lecture dealie that he gives during PBS fund raisers. He said that it was used to help ADHD kids once upon a time, and suggested that it helped attention. I used it, and while I didn't perform any manner of controlled study, I'm pleased with the results, so why the hell not give it a try?

A good stay-awake method my sister taught me was strong gum (like Dentyne Ice or such--strong mint or cinnamon gum). Also works well for long drives. :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup:


It's kind of crazy, but I find that this works, too. I'm not sure if it's the actual mint itself that keeps you awake, or just that you're doing something "physical," but it helps. Plus as a bonus your breath will smell nice. :p

Another good strategy is not to sit for hours at a time with no break. I think a break of a few minutes about once per hour is in order. Get up, stretch, walk around a little, get yourself a drink, that kind of thing. Having a few minutes to clear your mind every now and then will help stop you from getting fatigued. Also, figure out what kind of biorhythm you have (morning person or night person) and do the bulk of your studying then. I always found that I studied best in the morning for long periods, but I can read for a little while (maybe an hour or so) at night before going to bed. But I know some people like to stay up studying till the wee hours. If that's you, then go with it.

Try not to get yourself addicted to caffeine and other chemical aids to stay awake if you can avoid it. You do build up a tolerance to it, and then it's a pain to go through withdrawal. I've quit caffeine several times myself. :meanie:

when studying for the mcat, i keep falling asleep, even though i got 10 hours of sleep. how do you manage to stay awake? i got myself a caramel frap so that it might help keep me awake, but i still fell asleep. when i am focused, i read for a little while, and then have to get up and walk around. this will be my 2nd time taking the mcat

how do u stay focused/awake?

I'd try mixing it up, and like I say to my kids when they're cleaning, make a game of it. If I'm reading something for a few hours, then I'll take a break and take a mini-practice test or do flash cards or switch subjects. I also liked to track my scores on various sections and overall and chart my progress (huge nerd, right here). But it kept me interested.

I am taking the august mcat, like yourself. Although my story is slightly different, since i started with a 25 diag, and I have been studying hard for the past month, including now, so my suggestion is as follows: I actually am taking some of this from gujudoc, since he gave me good advice: if I were you, I would take the exam, but you should study as follows. Firstly, study intensely, take notes on what you don't understand or remember, and when you read, study very thoroughly, and take all the subject exams available in your books. Additionally, take a practice verbal exam every other day>>this is very important! You will lose some of the test taking skill, if you don't practice enough. You must do at least 3 passages every other day, and go over the answers carefully. If you keep that up, you'll hopefully be in the 30 range by the real thing.

Good luck, we're in the same boat here.

If you're studying intensely, I'd also recommend taking a the week of the actual MCAT off. I find that intense studying can actually make me more nervous and give me performance anxiety. Taking the final week off from studying might help you go into the test fresh and ready.

For the TPR Science Workbook and EK's 1001 bio quetions I am reading the relevant chapters in EK and then doing the passages. I go back and read up on areas that I had problems and try to annotate when possible. Is this approach ok or should I not be constantly reviewing material at this point.

I read all of EK cover to cover at least 2 times in all books and probably will go through it all about 4 times total before the month is over. I could easily spend 2 hours reading a chapter to learn the concepts but now the chapters are a very fast read expecpt for a couple lengthy bio chapters.

I should start full lengths on the 16th. I only have 4 AAMC exams I have not completed. I used 2 AAMC exams when I was preparing in April but decided not to tak the exam.

I have a few weak areas in the sciences and I keep working on those.

Thanks.

If you're studying intensely, I'd also recommend taking a the week of the actual MCAT off. I find that intense studying can actually make me more nervous and give me performance anxiety. Taking the final week off from studying might help you go into the test fresh and ready.
I've never understood this mentality. If you cram 'til the last minute, you can rely on information in your long-term memory and your short-term memory. I always do much better on a test if I enter the test in the mindframe of the subject--it helps wake up all of the relevant mental machineray, so you don't need to wait for the engine to warm up before you start cranking and firing. It makes you more tired by the end of the day, but I can't imagine remembering all of the random-ass conventions for chemistry for a week or more. I say focus on comprehension of material in the prereq classes, and cram your brain with facts and conventions immediately prior to the test. :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup:

I've never understood this mentality. If you cram 'til the last minute, you can rely on information in your long-term memory and your short-term memory. I always do much better on a test if I enter the test in the mindframe of the subject--it helps wake up all of the relevant mental machineray, so you don't need to wait for the engine to warm up before you start cranking and firing. It makes you more tired by the end of the day, but I can't imagine remembering all of the random-ass conventions for chemistry for a week or more. I say focus on comprehension of material in the prereq classes, and cram your brain with facts and conventions immediately prior to the test. :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup:

For me, it wasn't a question of keeping things in my short-term or long-term memory (although one week really shouldn't be out of the threshold of short-term). For me it was about managing stress. If I study right up to the minute of the test, I start worrying myself about one last thing I didn't cover, or do I really know a certain formula. Then I go into a test more stressed out. If I can take a test in a more relaxed state of mind, I find I usualy perform better, especially on those sections like VR where you're not relying on past knowledge.

I say focus on comprehension of material in the prereq classes, and cram your brain with facts and conventions immediately prior to the test. :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup:

This kind of strategy doesn't work for me, either. I actually didn't study at all for the last three weeks before the MCAT. I was feeling tired and burned out at the end of July, and my practice test scores were going down rather than up. So I just stopped studying altogether: no more practice tests, no more review, no more anything.

I guess the most important thing is to know yourself well enough that you know what YOU need to do to get yourself ready mentally and psychologically for the MCAT. No one strategy is going to work for everyone. Some of my students swear by the flash cards that come with their prep class; I never used them even once. I'm just not a huge flash card fan for most things. Some people time themselves religiously after every passage or every few passages; I never timed myself at all. Some people don't annotate their passages, or don't skip around the section; I did. My way of doing things isn't necessarily better or worse than theirs, but it's what worked for me. Overall, I'd recommend that you students studying for the MCAT try several of these strategies (on practice tests, not on the real thing!) and play around a little to figure out what works best for you. Then practice your strategies of choice consistently between now and test day.

Best of luck to all the Aug. test-takers. :luck:

I really need some advice. I am registered to take the August MCAT and am really feeling discouraged by my progress [or lack thereof]. I am taking the Kaplan course and my first diagnostic was a 9 PS/12V/8BS= 29, which I was told is a pretty decent score for the diag. I have since then read all the EK books and completed the questions and topicals and I have also started the Kaplan course [completing all the scheduled homeworks, assignments, suggested materials, etc as they are assigned]. I have also probably completed about 8 verbal FL from EK/Kaplan and scores range from 8-10.

I took AAMC 5R recently and scored a 29 - 10 PS/9 V/10 BS, I also took 10 R which was a rude awakening. I know there isn't any score conversion but I basically scored inthe very low 20s with a 5-6ish in the PS. Today, I took the Kaplan FL1 and I scored a 9 across all sections. Basically, if you get my drift, I am starting to get worried that I am not at ALL improving and in fact getting worse! :( I can't seem to figure out what it is I am doing incorrectly - after all practice materials I go over the explanations and understand why I am doing things wrong, etc and I also make notes on important points that I tend to mess up and all of that. I am getting really worried as to whether I should even take the test this August or not - my background is a bit complicated so I don't want to bore you with that but I basically need to get ca. 35 on the actual test. I feel as though it is fairly common that if one works at it [esp for the science sections] a score increase is usually observed -- so my situation seems like an anomaly.

What seems the most confusing to me is that oftentimes I think I am doing well on a particular section or test and am pretty confident in my answers [also, when I need to make an educated guess, I do so and am fairly convinced by the choice I made]- in some ways this is good because then my confidence isn't destroyed after PS-- but then at the end - I end up with the same old scores when I felt as though I did 'better.'

Anyhow, I know this post is long - but to sum up - I am in what seems to be a rut and any advice/words of wisdom would be reallllllly appreciated. Thanks for reading the post if you got this far ;)

I really need some advice. I am registered to take the August MCAT and am really feeling discouraged by my progress [or lack thereof]. I am taking the Kaplan course and my first diagnostic was a 9 PS/12V/8BS= 29, which I was told is a pretty decent score for the diag. I have since then read all the EK books and completed the questions and topicals and I have also started the Kaplan course [completing all the scheduled homeworks, assignments, suggested materials, etc as they are assigned]. I have also probably completed about 8 verbal FL from EK/Kaplan and scores range from 8-10.

I took AAMC 5R recently and scored a 29 - 10 PS/9 V/10 BS, I also took 10 R which was a rude awakening. I know there isn't any score conversion but I basically scored inthe very low 20s with a 5-6ish in the PS. Today, I took the Kaplan FL1 and I scored a 9 across all sections. Basically, if you get my drift, I am starting to get worried that I am not at ALL improving and in fact getting worse! :( I can't seem to figure out what it is I am doing incorrectly - after all practice materials I go over the explanations and understand why I am doing things wrong, etc and I also make notes on important points that I tend to mess up and all of that. I am getting really worried as to whether I should even take the test this August or not - my background is a bit complicated so I don't want to bore you with that but I basically need to get ca. 35 on the actual test. I feel as though it is fairly common that if one works at it [esp for the science sections] a score increase is usually observed -- so my situation seems like an anomaly.

What seems the most confusing to me is that oftentimes I think I am doing well on a particular section or test and am pretty confident in my answers [also, when I need to make an educated guess, I do so and am fairly convinced by the choice I made]- in some ways this is good because then my confidence isn't destroyed after PS-- but then at the end - I end up with the same old scores when I felt as though I did 'better.'

Anyhow, I know this post is long - but to sum up - I am in what seems to be a rut and any advice/words of wisdom would be reallllllly appreciated. Thanks for reading the post if you got this far ;)

Hey, I hear you. I think a lot of us have felt that way one time or another. I took the Kaplan course last year. I scored a 31 on the initial diagnostic. On their next diagnostic ... I scored a 31. I also charted my progress on all the practice tests (actually charted them with MS Excel). I started showing gradual increase in everything over a period of time. Then, my scores started fluctuating all over the place. My practice scores on the VR actually started a downward trend. It was very frustrating. But, through it all, I actually felt like I was learning a tremendous amount of what I was supposed to know. I actually stopped studying for VR months before the actual test. And in the end, I scored much higher than on my original diagnostic in VR and overall.

So, I don't know if that's any comfort to you. I don't know if you'll actually do better on your MCAT than what you're testing at. But what you should take comfort in is that you're feeling confident in the answers you're choosing and you know that you're actually learning the material. If the scores on the practice tests don't actually come for you, don't sweat it too much. Just keep plugging with your study routine. And, I would recommend, if you start stressing too much about the tests, take a break from them and just read for a while. Or if the whole process is getting to you, stop studying for a day or two.

I hope this helps. For me, in large part, the MCAT was about confidence. Know what you know. If you feel good about the progress you're making, and if you feel like you know the material when you're studying it, I think that's the best state of mind you can have going into the test.

My practice test scores also started decreasing toward the end of last summer. In my case, I think it was a severe case of burn-out, and I stopped studying altogether for the last few weeks before the exam. I agree with jmugele that maybe some more downtime would help you. It sounds like you've already completed a pretty grueling review. Also, if you are planning to take more full-length practice tests in the next month before your exam, don't take more than one or two per week, and give yourself at least a day or two off between tests.

Good luck. :luck:

Did you keep track of problems/passages you got wrong so that you could go over them in the last 2 weeks leading into the MCAT?

Did you keep track of problems/passages you got wrong so that you could go over them in the last 2 weeks leading into the MCAT?

Um, not really. I definitely went over those problems after taking a test. And I would do whatever reading/studying necessary to make sure I understood the correct answer. But I never saved those up. I guess I generalized it more -- I kept track of those topics that I was having trouble with. I would save out flashcards on those topics and make sure I did extra studying on those. Because if you think about it, saving individual problems for later won't do much good, because the chances of you having a very similar problem on the MCAT are slim. But if you know your strengths and weaknesses in terms of subject areas, you can better hone your studying as you approach the D-Day.

hey jmugele and Q - thanks for your comments. I suppose I will just keep going as I am and hopefully I will see some improvement - otherwise I will probably test in April. Thanks again!

Also - jmugele - if you don't mind me asking, I was just wondering what you actually ended up getting on test day - just because our situations are somewhat similar I am wondering how it worked out for you. Its all good if you don't want to say your score also - I am guessing it was pretty up there anyhow.

Sent you a PM.

-J

im confused as what to do when reviewing a full length, or any topical for that case, i usually go over them after im done even the ones i got right. Should i be writing a detailed reason for each question i got wrong in a notebook, and go over it maybe?

im confused as what to do when reviewing a full length, or any topical for that case, i usually go over them after im done even the ones i got right. Should i be writing a detailed reason for each question i got wrong in a notebook, and go over it maybe?

I would not revisit the ones I got right. Instead, as I'm taking a test, I'll mark the ones I'm guessing on or unsure of (I wouldn't worry about keeping track of time on a test until late in the studying process). That way, even if I get them right, I can still go study them.

What I liked to do after a test was immediately study each wrong answer or marked answer to better understand it. Then, I would also keep a log of the topics that I was having trouble with and make a point to go study the topic more. It's much more useful to know which subjects you need to study more, than to be able to nail a particular question.

Good luck.

I would not revisit the ones I got right. Instead, as I'm taking a test, I'll mark the ones I'm guessing on or unsure of (I wouldn't worry about keeping track of time on a test until late in the studying process). That way, even if I get them right, I can still go study them.

What I liked to do after a test was immediately study each wrong answer or marked answer to better understand it. Then, I would also keep a log of the topics that I was having trouble with and make a point to go study the topic more. It's much more useful to know which subjects you need to study more, than to be able to nail a particular question.

Good luck.


FWIW, this is my method of studying/going over the practice exams and cementing weaknesses in my study plan/knowledge base...

im confused as what to do when reviewing a full length, or any topical for that case, i usually go over them after im done even the ones i got right. Should i be writing a detailed reason for each question i got wrong in a notebook, and go over it maybe?

I would recommend reading over the explanations for all questions, even the ones you got right. The reason for this is that WHY you got the question right matters more than the fact that you got it right. (Let's be honest; we all get multiple choice questions right sometimes out of sheer luck!) While you are studying, you should be concentrating on improving your problem-solving and thinking skills, not on any one particular question or answer. So if you read the explanation and it is along the same lines of what you were thinking while you were taking the test, then you are doing the right thing. On the other hand, if you read the explanation and it is completely different than your own method for arriving at the answer, you should check into whether your method is generally correct or you just happened to luck out that time.

Just wondering how long you've been using DMAE and if you knew anywhere reliable to attain it?

Thanks a bunch

A good stay-awake method my sister taught me was strong gum (like Dentyne Ice or such--strong mint or cinnamon gum). Also works well for long drives. :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup:

Also, there's a dietary supplement called DMAE (dimethyl amino ethanol) which I heard Dr Perricone talk about in his lecture dealie that he gives during PBS fund raisers. He said that it was used to help ADHD kids once upon a time, and suggested that it helped attention. I used it, and while I didn't perform any manner of controlled study, I'm pleased with the results, so why the hell not give it a try?

I'm finding it hard to increase my speed in the physical sciences section, and have not been able to score above a 10. Any suggestions?

I'm finding it hard to increase my speed in the physical sciences section, and have not been able to score above a 10. Any suggestions?

I think the best thing you can do to increase speed is to know the formulas cold and know when to use them. Also, if you have speed issues on the paragraph sections, then a lot of techniques for the VR will help you here: summarize each paragraph briefly as you read; underline any formulas that are given; etc.

In terms of raising the score, practice, practice, practice. I found it very useful to go to the library and pick up a book of college physics problems and explanations and just work through the whole book. Flashcards of the formulas helped too. And lots of practice tests (I'd ignore other sections if you're doing well on them and just do physics sections).

Good luck.

I'm finding it hard to increase my speed in the physical sciences section, and have not been able to score above a 10. Any suggestions?

I'd recommend focusing on relationships among variables. It's important to be aware of how one changes with respect to another, such as direct or indirect relationships, and linearly or exponentially varying? Shrike wrote a very nice post about how to read physics passages quickly (http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showpost.php?p=2718360&postcount=7) that you might want to read over if you haven't already.

bumping this thread

I hope this thread is still running, and even if this post only serves as a bump, everyone should read it because it is a wealth of information.

Unfortunately for me, i was able to get A's in Chemistry and Bio without going to lecture. Now i am starting to study for MCAT, and seeing the error in my ways. I already took the classes and essentially wasted that resource and i do not have time to sit in on them as an observer (take place during lectures i ahve right now). How would you go about learning them "for the first time" for the MCAT? So far i have bought a kaplan book and focused more on studying for the verbal, hoping to get a good start there (I am a sophomore). My plan right now is to take a class (I am still asking around as to which class has better teachers in my area, so i am not sure which yet), buy the Examkrackers series, and listen to the audio osmosis as much as possible. What else could/should i be doing?

Thanks,
Anks

I hope this thread is still running, and even if this post only serves as a bump, everyone should read it because it is a wealth of information.

Unfortunately for me, i was able to get A's in Chemistry and Bio without going to lecture. Now i am starting to study for MCAT, and seeing the error in my ways. I already took the classes and essentially wasted that resource and i do not have time to sit in on them as an observer (take place during lectures i ahve right now). How would you go about learning them "for the first time" for the MCAT? So far i have bought a kaplan book and focused more on studying for the verbal, hoping to get a good start there (I am a sophomore). My plan right now is to take a class (I am still asking around as to which class has better teachers in my area, so i am not sure which yet), buy the Examkrackers series, and listen to the audio osmosis as much as possible. What else could/should i be doing?

Thanks,
Anks

I had a similar problem because I had been out of class for about 10 years prior to taking the MCAT. I prepared with material from the library. I checked out a biology textbook and read it pretty much cover to cover. I checked out a workbook with physics problems and explanations and did those, and I checked out a general chemistry book. Rather than reading it, I just did the problems at the end of each chapter. If I had issues, I went back to the text. I also got an organic textbook and worked through the first few chapters.

I also found Kaplan's study materials very helpful, but the classes weren't that useful IMO.

anks106:

Yes, all of these threads are still running; they just haven't been very busy lately b/c the Aug. MCAT is over, and the forums server has been having some problems. Here is my answer to your question:

You have obviously learned a very important lesson about the value of taking full advantage of your course resources. I hope you will stay positive and motivated as you review, because it is not too late for you to learn your chemistry and biology material properly. I think that jmugele's suggestion could work well for you if you're motivated to study on your own and you have enough time to cover all the material. (You probably do, since you said that you're only a sophomore.) Other possibilities could be to hire a chemistry tutor or audit the classes at a local community college; many community colleges cater to working students and offer classes at night or on weekends. If you want a tutor, you should call the chemistry department at your university and ask for a list of graduate students who are interested in tutoring. You'll pay a lot less this way than you would going through a test prep company, and since the grad students typically TA the undergrad classes, they will be very familiar with your chemistry coursework. Finally, if you have questions while you're studying, feel free to drop in here and post them. We're happy to help. :)

I am a senior biology/pre-med major. I have a great GPA and did lots of extracurricular activities. However, the only thing keeping me away from med school is my MCAT score. I did really poorly, getting a 15 (6PS, 5VR, and 4B) even though I took a prep course over the summer. Yeah that sucks.. :thumbdown .I know. But, it was my first time and I am thinking to apply to several DO schools, which need scores AT LEAST in the low 20's, as well as retaking April 2006 MCAT. I was wondering whether I could do that and if it (going from such a low MCAT score to a one more reasonable for applying)has been done before???? I feel lost and confused as well as frustrated. PLEASE HELP ME! :scared: Oh yeah and I refuse to accept the Carribean school option. :confused:

I am a senior biology/pre-med major. I have a great GPA and did lots of extracurricular activities. However, the only thing keeping me away from med school is my MCAT score. I did really poorly, getting a 15 (6PS, 5VR, and 4B) even though I took a prep course over the summer. Yeah that sucks.. :thumbdown .I know. But, it was my first time and I am thinking to apply to several DO schools, which need scores AT LEAST in the low 20's, as well as retaking April 2006 MCAT. I was wondering whether I could do that and if it (going from such a low MCAT score to a one more reasonable for applying)has been done before???? I feel lost and confused as well as frustrated. PLEASE HELP ME! :scared: Oh yeah and I refuse to accept the Carribean school option. :confused:

Hi ks2005,

Welcome to our subforum. Please do not create new threads; just post your questions in the appropriate already existing thread.

To answer your question: yes, it is possible for you to raise your score into the 20s. In order to know how to do that, you must first analyze what went wrong the first time that you took the test. First, you should consider whether it was some circumstance beyond your control (such as illness) or some other problem, such as extreme test anxiety. It doesn't sound like you have either of those problems based on what you wrote. Many pre-meds who score poorly on the MCAT have a good understanding of the science concepts, but their critical reading ability is lacking. Others need to work both on improving their understanding of science AND their critical thinking skills. Based on your scores, I'd guess that you fall into the second category, but if you did really well in your science courses during college, maybe you are more in the first category. Either way, you will need to work on your critical thinking skills between now and April. lorelei and Nutmeg wrote some great posts in the VR Explanations thread about how to read critically. You may want to take a look at those. Also, you will need to experiment with different strategies for improving your test-taking ability. Some students find that ExamKrackers VR method is very helpful to them. I found that Kaplan's method worked well for me. Give any strategy you attempt a fair try (i.e., learn and practice it thoroughly) before concluding that it doesn't work. Best of luck to you in April. :)

Thanks for all the advice. ;) I will research these methods over my X-mas break, practive them, and also figure which one works the best. I will also retake Kaplan. When I took it over the summer, I never practiced their strategies but rather practiced the material on my own, my way. I have learned my lesson not to do that. Thanks once again.

Hi ks2005,

Welcome to our subforum. Please do not create new threads; just post your questions in the appropriate already existing thread.

To answer your question: yes, it is possible for you to raise your score into the 20s. In order to know how to do that, you must first analyze what went wrong the first time that you took the test. First, you should consider whether it was some circumstance beyond your control (such as illness) or some other problem, such as extreme test anxiety. It doesn't sound like you have either of those problems based on what you wrote. Many pre-meds who score poorly on the MCAT have a good understanding of the science concepts, but their critical reading ability is lacking. Others need to work both on improving their understanding of science AND their critical thinking skills. Based on your scores, I'd guess that you fall into the second category, but if you did really well in your science courses during college, maybe you are more in the first category. Either way, you will need to work on your critical thinking skills between now and April. lorelei and Nutmeg wrote some great posts in the VR Explanations thread about how to read critically. You may want to take a look at those. Also, you will need to experiment with different strategies for improving your test-taking ability. Some students find that ExamKrackers VR method is very helpful to them. I found that Kaplan's method worked well for me. Give any strategy you attempt a fair try (i.e., learn and practice it thoroughly) before concluding that it doesn't work. Best of luck to you in April. :)

Thanks for all the advice. ;) I will research these methods over my X-mas break, practive them, and also figure which one works the best. I will also retake Kaplan. When I took it over the summer, I never practiced their strategies but rather practiced the material on my own, my way. I have learned my lesson not to do that. Thanks once again.
Good luck.

bump

bump

I was wondering how thoroughly I shluld read the biology passages. Sometimes there are details questions that require me to spend more time sorting through the passage than I would have needed to read the thing in the first place. I was also wondering what the predomiant themes are for biological sciences passages

I was wondering how thoroughly I shluld read the biology passages. Sometimes there are details questions that require me to spend more time sorting through the passage than I would have needed to read the thing in the first place. I was also wondering what the predomiant themes are for biological sciences passages
Hi Jacqui,

Please don't start new threads in the MCAT subforum; just post your question in the appropriate already existing thread. Check out this post (http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showpost.php?p=2890309&postcount=2); if you still have questions, let us know. :)

bump

I'm a very slow reader. This goes for anything, whether it be reading passages or reading a science book.

As you can imagine, this hurts me in every section in the MCAT!

I've been trying to read http://www.aldaily.com/ articles to up my reading speed, but my comprehension goes down dramatically.

Am I just expecting results too soon, or are there better ways for me to increase my reading speed?

I'm a very slow reader. This goes for anything, whether it be reading passages or reading a science book.

As you can imagine, this hurts me in every section in the MCAT!

I've been trying to read http://www.aldaily.com/ articles to up my reading speed, but my comprehension goes down dramatically.

Am I just expecting results too soon, or are there better ways for me to increase my reading speed?
If lorelei sees this, she may have some suggestions for you. My first thought is to ask you whether you are focusing too much on the details. The thing is, when you are reading MCAT passages, you need to be paying attention to the author's argument. The details are only there to support his argument. You want to know where the details are located in the passage so that you can find them quickly if you get asked a question about them, but always keep in mind that this is an open-book test, and you don't have to memorize them. It's also ok not to get every little detail on your first time through the passage. You won't get asked any questions about most of that stuff anyway, and if you do get asked about some of it, you can always go back and re-read that paragraph more carefully. There are some posts in the VR explanations thread about reading the passages, and Shrike also wrote one in the Physics explanations thread. If you haven't read those yet, you may find them helpful. :)

bumpity bump :D

bump

QofQuimica i noticed in another thread you talked about burn out.
i'm retaking the mcat this summer and i'm investing a lot more time this time around (way more than last summer, which was a minimum amount of studying until august rolled around).

i feel like i'm really giving a good amount of effort, not more or less. in fact, with 8 weeks left i was hoping to push myself a little more in the coming weeks. but...when you spoke of burn out in kind of worried me. i don't want to be exhausted come august.

this is a very subjective question but...is there any way to predict if you are studying too much? or if you are on the path to burnout? i know right now i feel good, but...i also understand that could quickly change.

any tips on how to prevent burnout?

thanks.

Hi,

I'm planning to retake the August MCAT after sitting for the April one this year. Do you suggest that I do a full review first, or just plunge in to specific weaker topics and do the full review later?
how many weeks among these remaining 8 should I, as a retaker, devote to practice, as oppose to reviewing and memorizing?

Thanks.

QofQuimica i noticed in another thread you talked about burn out.
i'm retaking the mcat this summer and i'm investing a lot more time this time around (way more than last summer, which was a minimum amount of studying until august rolled around).

i feel like i'm really giving a good amount of effort, not more or less. in fact, with 8 weeks left i was hoping to push myself a little more in the coming weeks. but...when you spoke of burn out in kind of worried me. i don't want to be exhausted come august.

this is a very subjective question but...is there any way to predict if you are studying too much? or if you are on the path to burnout? i know right now i feel good, but...i also understand that could quickly change.

any tips on how to prevent burnout?

thanks.
I suppose it depends somewhat on the person, but in my case, I was studying more and doing worse by the end of July. I was finding it hard to concentrate and I was just exhausted all of the time. I think that the biggest mistake that I made (besides not taking any AAMC practice tests) was not building any rest time into my study schedule. You sound like you're studying the right amount; you said you feel like you're putting in the right amount of effort. If you feel that you are improving and doing well in terms of effort, then you probably are. You might try ramping up a little bit slowly, but don't make every day a hard-core studying day. Give yourself a little time off every so often. :luck:

Hi,

I'm planning to retake the August MCAT after sitting for the April one this year. Do you suggest that I do a full review first, or just plunge in to specific weaker topics and do the full review later?
how many weeks among these remaining 8 should I, as a retaker, devote to practice, as oppose to reviewing and memorizing?

Thanks.
I would recommend that you focus on your weaker areas. You have a limited amount of time between now and test day, and it behooves you to use it wisely. When I was studying for the MCAT, I basically spent no time on the chemistries, because that's what my PhD is in. Instead, I really focused on physics, physiology, and VR, because those were the areas that I needed to work on the most. As soon as you have reviewed your weak areas, you should begin taking practice exams, preferably not ones that you've already taken. Make sure to do them under realistic timed conditions. Practice is essential for improving your test-taking ability; if you have to choose between doing more practice tests and going over some random obscure science facts, do the practice tests. :luck:

I have the same problem that anks has. I essentially have to "relearn" general chemistry and general chemistry only. My only issue with getting a textbook is that I would probably learn extra information not on the exam. Thus, I have resorted to using the Kaplan comprehensive review book. I'm reading the chemistry content and taking painstaking notes. Is this a good method for someone who knows very little about inorganic chem?

I have the same problem that anks has. I essentially have to "relearn" general chemistry and general chemistry only. My only issue with getting a textbook is that I would probably learn extra information not on the exam. Thus, I have resorted to using the Kaplan comprehensive review book. I'm reading the chemistry content and taking painstaking notes. Is this a good method for someone who knows very little about inorganic chem?
I had the same problem too, with physics. I did not use a textbook. What I did was go through the Kaplan review notes, the online workshops, the foundation videos, and all of the practice physics tests. (I was using the online review course.) Are you taking practice tests? If not, you need to start soon. That will not only help you with your testing prep, but also reinforce the chem concepts. :luck: to you.

I had the same problem too, with physics. I did not use a textbook. What I did was go through the Kaplan review notes, the online workshops, the foundation videos, and all of the practice physics tests. (I was using the online review course.) Are you taking practice tests? If not, you need to start soon. That will not only help you with your testing prep, but also reinforce the chem concepts. :luck: to you.
Nah, I still have to take a prac. I'll get on that. Thanks!

hi there,

1) what's the best way to review material?

i've noticed some ppl plan on re-reading chapters ....

i have reread some of my weak spots (physical sciences)...but i wasn't intending on rereading bio.

i guess my plan was to just do as much practice as possible in the next month, and when i go over my exam, if i noticed any major issues with a topic, i would specifically reread that.

2) what's the best way to go about full lenghts?

i'm doing aamc 7/8 in my PR class

i have a lot of practice material i could potentially go through (the other aamc tests)

ek 1,2, 3

kaplan 1-12

my plan was to do ALL three sections of the aamc tests... kaplan just the bio and physical (no verbal) of selected tests....and ek hopefully just hte verbal sections for all three tests.

what's your take on doing SECTIONS timed, but not a full day of tests...i feel like if i do a full day of tests i might head for burn out. i rather just do sections timed, but not all in teh same day. nonetheless, AAMC 9 i plan to do Sat August 12th, timed as a full length.

any advice on how to space out the practice in the next month? or what to do in between?

Q i sent you my stats for last year and where i was yesterday on my mock.

Q i sent you my stats for last year and where i was yesterday on my mock.
I wrote back to you. I'll let some of the other volunteers comment on your questions here.

I read about a method on SDN (can't really find it anymore) to tackle physical sciences questions. It involved reading the passages really quick (in less than 45 seconds) then spending more time on the questions and going back to the passage as need be. I did a passage tonight in Kaplan QBank for molecular biology, and it was all text. I tried breezing as fast as I could, but there was a bunch of information and not so much charts and diagrams that I found that method ineffective. Should I approach these types of passages without using "the 45seconds method" but more like a verbal passage, or is there another method that works for these?

I read about a method on SDN (can't really find it anymore) to tackle physical sciences questions. It involved reading the passages really quick (in less than 45 seconds) then spending more time on the questions and going back to the passage as need be. I did a passage tonight in Kaplan QBank for molecular biology, and it was all text. I tried breezing as fast as I could, but there was a bunch of information and not so much charts and diagrams that I found that method ineffective. Should I approach these types of passages without using "the 45seconds method" but more like a verbal passage, or is there another method that works for these?

From what I remember of the BS section (I don't remember how I felt about the morning section), there was a lot of reading comprehension on that section, and so the 45 sec method would be ineffective.

Seriously, I know this question has been discussed, but I so need to know.
I can't seem to get a staight answer!

1. Do those who take Calc based physics really understand more, thus scoring higher...or

2. Do they just understand the basis of the formula's better,
and if so: Does that REALLY help you on the MCAT?

3. I've heard Calc based Physics uses formulas trig based Physics does not use, leaving MCAT preperation frustrating since printed material uses trig based only.

4. Will I be less prepard for the MCAT and Med school should I take trig Physics over Calc physics?
(I've read physics is used later in med-school...which one? trig based or calc based?)

5. How many quarters of either Physics is needed for MCAT?
6. How many quarter of Organic is needed for MCAT?

Thank you so much!!
Libbey :luck:

Seriously, I know this question has been discussed, but I so need to know.
I can't seem to get a staight answer!

1. Do those who take Calc based physics really understand more, thus scoring higher...or

2. Do they just understand the basis of the formula's better,
and if so: Does that REALLY help you on the MCAT?

3. I've heard Calc based Physics uses formulas trig based Physics does not use, leaving MCAT preperation frustrating since printed material uses trig based only.

4. Will I be less prepard for the MCAT and Med school should I take trig Physics over Calc physics?
(I've read physics is used later in med-school...which one? trig based or calc based?)

5. How many quarters of either Physics is needed for MCAT?
6. How many quarter of Organic is needed for MCAT?

Thank you so much!!
Libbey :luck:

I think a calc-physics would be better as you derive formulas and stuff, but theres certaintly no need for it...most of the time you dont have to crunch numbers for the MCAT

dont take the calc-physics if you cant handle the calculus, though, you'll hate yourself the entire semester

Just finished attempt number 2 (Aug. 19). After this MCAT, I am now completely convinced that I prepared for the test in totally the wrong way. The only problem is, I can't quite put my finger on what it is I could be doing differently to increase my score. I struggle most with the PS section and VR always is my best. I am beginning to feel like it may be one of those things where my brain functions in some manner that is conducive to verbal reasoning, but then when I get to the PS section I don't know which end is up.

I definintley could know the content a little better, and I am planning on working on that. I generally understand the concepts, but when it gets to the probelms, I often don't even know where to start. I have found that most commercial products to be either way easier or too difficult than actual MCAT questions. Is there any source of passage based scientific reasoning tests/questions that is similar to the AAMC? I have bought all of their old tests, but I want to save them for practicing FL's.

Also, is there any approach to problem solving that I am missing? I feel like I am not close to where I need to be when it comes to solving problems. Should I practice solving problems out of my old textbooks?

Thanks.

IMO, the best way to study & do well for the PS section is to DO A TON OF PROBLEMS. Reading the section in the Kaplan book or whatever you are using is great, but you have to work through the problems. When you get a problem wrong & you have to work back through it to find your mistake, you learn more than you ever do just studying a few equations.

It has been quite a while since I took the MCAT, but I don't remember the PS section being too knowledge based. If you understand basic concepts & know which equation to apply...you should be fine in that regard. But, most definitely work through the problems.

Just finished attempt number 2 (Aug. 19). After this MCAT, I am now completely convinced that I prepared for the test in totally the wrong way. The only problem is, I can't quite put my finger on what it is I could be doing differently to increase my score. I struggle most with the PS section and VR always is my best. I am beginning to feel like it may be one of those things where my brain functions in some manner that is conducive to verbal reasoning, but then when I get to the PS section I don't know which end is up.

I definintley could know the content a little better, and I am planning on working on that. I generally understand the concepts, but when it gets to the probelms, I often don't even know where to start. I have found that most commercial products to be either way easier or too difficult than actual MCAT questions. Is there any source of passage based scientific reasoning tests/questions that is similar to the AAMC? I have bought all of their old tests, but I want to save them for practicing FL's.

Also, is there any approach to problem solving that I am missing? I feel like I am not close to where I need to be when it comes to solving problems. Should I practice solving problems out of my old textbooks?

Thanks.
I am going to hazard a guess that one thing you need to work on is reading the problems more carefully. For example, just now, you posted this question in the explanations thread instead of in the question thread. (I went ahead and moved it to the right place for you. :)) Paying attention to following directions is not a trivial consideration; even if you get the right answer to the wrong question, your answer will still be counted as wrong. In other words, you must be careful to answer the actual question you are being asked, and not another question.

For PS questions, I find that it is often helpful to start by writing down what I know and/or drawing a figure. This allows you to think about the problem, and often the way to find the solution will become apparent as you take the time to set it up. If you find that you are spending a lot of time trying to come up with a solution, you are not doing the problem correctly. Most MCAT problems can be done without any calculation at all, and even those that do require calculation will not require multiple steps. There just isn't time for you to work out elaborate problems (especially without a calculator!), and the testmaker knows that. It might also help you to work on your rounding and estimation skills. Before you ever solve a problem, think about what kind of answer is reasonable. For example, if you have an object that is falling into a body of water, and you are asked how far down it falls, with the downward direction being negative, you know you need to end up with a negative answer. You also know that certain answers are not reasonable. If you come up with 3000 km as your answer, you can assume that you probably screwed up an order of magnitude somewhere.

VR requires a more abstract kind of thought compared to the science sections. Here, it is very important to pay attention to the arguments put forth by the authors, and not pay so much attention to the details they provide in support of their arguments. This is very different than what you are asked to do in your science classes in college, and that's why so many people find this section to be difficult. But it is important to develop this skill, because most VR questions will ask you to do things (make inferences and deductions, strengthen/weaken, incorporate evidence, etc.) that rely on your understanding of the author's argument. Lorelei wrote some excellent posts on this subject in the VR explanations thread that you may want to look at if you haven't already. Also, when you do practice passages, pay attention to the types of questions that you tend to miss, and focus your studying on improving with those question types.

Hope these ideas help, and best of luck to you. :)

I haven't really been doing this method as a deliberate strategy, but i have noticed that i get more correct answers when i spend at most one minute on the passage, and then focus on the questions. i usually go back to the passage a fair bit...but it's translated to 12's and 13's on the AAMC physical sciences sections with usually about 10-15 minutes to spare.

I think it's a sound strategy..especially on the real thing where you're so nervous, you won't retain enough science info from the passage on the first way through

a question that was answered earlier on this thread was about physics
I can't decide whehter I should take algebra physics or calculus physics
if all of the topics below are covered in MCAT, wouldn't it be a MUST to
take calculus based physics?

(just ignore the CD # and the time at the end)

MCAT Physics - CD1 - The Atom 5:07
MCAT Physics - CD1 - Nuclear Reactions 6:06
MCAT Physics - CD1 - Radioactive Decay and Half-Life 3:37
MCAT Physics - CD1 - Electricity vs. Gravity 10:47
MCAT Physics - CD1 - Electric Circuits I 5:35
MCAT Physics - CD1 - Electric Circuits II 7:19
MCAT Physics - CD1 - Electric Circuits III 5:36
MCAT Physics - CD1 - Kirchoff's Laws 10:43

MCAT Physics - CD2 - Kirchoff's Second Law 5:55
MCAT Physics - CD2 - Characteristics of Waves 9:33
MCAT Physics - CD2 - Interference Of Waves 2:35
MCAT Physics - CD2 - Diffraction 8:43
MCAT Physics - CD2 - Optics 2:19
MCAT Physics - CD2 - Reflection 17:15
MCAT Physics - CD2 - Refraction, Thin Lens 7:46
MCAT Physics - CD2 - Snell's Law 3:33 MCAT Physics - CD3 - The Critical Angle 9:06
MCAT Physics - CD3 - Force and Motion 6:48
MCAT Physics - CD3 - Weight and Units 7:48
MCAT Physics - CD3 - Friction 5:26
MCAT Physics - CD3 - Applying Newton's Laws 4:06
MCAT Physics - CD3 - Trigonometry 3:59
MCAT Physics - CD3 - Projectile Motion 8:38
MCAT Physics - CD3 - Work 8:12
MCAT Physics - CD3 - Circular Motion 4:24

MCAT Physics - CD4 - Circular Motion Problem 2:52
MCAT Physics - CD4 - Work-Energy Theorem 3:59
MCAT Physics - CD4 - Energy and Entropy 4:38
MCAT Physics - CD4 - Momentum 10:37
MCAT Physics - CD4 - Law of Torques 13:08
MCAT Physics - CD4 - Fluids 3:05
MCAT Physics - CD4 - Fluids in Motion 6:05
MCAT Physics - CD4 - Archimedes' Principle 4:58

a question that was answered earlier on this thread was about physics
I can't decide whehter I should take algebra physics or calculus physics
if all of the topics below are covered in MCAT, wouldn't it be a MUST to
take calculus based physics?

No. There is no calculus on the MCAT, so you can take either calc-based or trig-based physics, as long as it covers the essential topics.

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I am prepping for the Jan MCAT. I have a load of MCAT preparation materials (bought some, was given some): Kaplan online course (with workshops, lessons-on-demand, practice full-lengths), Kaplan review books (2005), EK Complete Package, EK 1001 series, NOVA physics, TPR review books, the TPR science workbook, and AAMC practice test 4-7. I am hoping to get some suggestions about how to go about studying because my way is not working. The problem is that since I have so much kind of materials that I want to use them all. I think I am pretty ridiculous. So what happens is that I am approaching each topic too slowly because 1) I spend too much time reading about the same topic before I get to the questions and 2) I am so, so slow at finishing the questions because I basically fall asleep over them after the first 5. Please help me out. Did this happen to anyone? I have some specific questions too…

1) Am I supposed to be finishing the Kaplan topicals and the subject tests in a certain timeframe?
2) I scored a 56% on one of the Kaplan topicals. Although one SDN member commented that he usually scored that range (and he end up doing really well on the real thing), I am worried because I didn’t understand the questions and passages… as if they weren’t in English.
3) As for revising my plan of studying, I was thinking to follow a Kaplan course schedule since I have its online course. I would read the Kaplan review books. And then, for every topic I would do a chapter of problems from either TPR science workbook or the EK books. Then, the Kaplan subject tests and the topicals. What do you think?
4) As for the verbal, what should I do? Lots of SDN members seem to think Kaplan verbal is not so good. So should I do them anyway and supplement with a bunch of EK verbal passages too?
5) I found that the Kaplan science workshops are pretty helpful for the most part. But the verbal workshops… I don’t think they are that helpful? What do you think?
6) Is the Kaplan lessons-on-demand helpful? (They are so, so long… I tend to want to fall asleep.)
7) Am I starting too late? All the Kaplan courses for the Jan MCAT have already started…
8) One more thing, when should I start doing the practice exams? Maybe one every week until exam day.

Lots of questions! Sorry! But, I really appreciate the SDN website!!! Thanks for reading!

I am prepping for the Jan MCAT. I have a load of MCAT preparation materials (bought some, was given some): Kaplan online course (with workshops, lessons-on-demand, practice full-lengths), Kaplan review books (2005), EK Complete Package, EK 1001 series, NOVA physics, TPR review books, the TPR science workbook, and AAMC practice test 4-7. I am hoping to get some suggestions about how to go about studying because my way is not working. The problem is that since I have so much kind of materials that I want to use them all. I think I am pretty ridiculous. So what happens is that I am approaching each topic too slowly because 1) I spend too much time reading about the same topic before I get to the questions and 2) I am so, so slow at finishing the questions because I basically fall asleep over them after the first 5. Please help me out. Did this happen to anyone? I have some specific questions too…

1) Am I supposed to be finishing the Kaplan topicals and the subject tests in a certain timeframe?
2) I scored a 56% on one of the Kaplan topicals. Although one SDN member commented that he usually scored that range (and he end up doing really well on the real thing), I am worried because I didn’t understand the questions and passages… as if they weren’t in English.
3) As for revising my plan of studying, I was thinking to follow a Kaplan course schedule since I have its online course. I would read the Kaplan review books. And then, for every topic I would do a chapter of problems from either TPR science workbook or the EK books. Then, the Kaplan subject tests and the topicals. What do you think?
4) As for the verbal, what should I do? Lots of SDN members seem to think Kaplan verbal is not so good. So should I do them anyway and supplement with a bunch of EK verbal passages too?
5) I found that the Kaplan science workshops are pretty helpful for the most part. But the verbal workshops… I don’t think they are that helpful? What do you think?
6) Is the Kaplan lessons-on-demand helpful? (They are so, so long… I tend to want to fall asleep.)
7) Am I starting too late? All the Kaplan courses for the Jan MCAT have already started…
8) One more thing, when should I start doing the practice exams? Maybe one every week until exam day.

Lots of questions! Sorry! But, I really appreciate the SDN website!!! Thanks for reading!
I already answered some of these by PM, but for the rest of them:

1) It's best if you can do them right after the lesson where you covered that material before you move on to the next lesson. But if you can't because of scheduling conflicts, then do them when you can.

2) See the PM. Basically, most people do not score well on them. Focus on the process of arriving at the right answer and not on the percentage you score correctly.

3) Sounds reasonable. Since you need extra help in physics, I would add the appropriate high yield review book sections and Qbank if you have access. See the PM.

4) Yes. There's nothing to study for VR, and practice makes perfect. If you're not at where you want to be for VR, you should keep practicing your mapping and question strategies.

5) I didn't like them either, as I recall. But I'd still suggest at least skimming them in case there are some tips you might find useful.

6) IMHO, no. :o I never watched them. But I had access to the TELs, so I didn't need to watch the lessons to go through the lesson book. You probably should watch the physics and VR ones, and any other subjects that are giving you trouble so that you can go through the lesson book with them.

7) Depends on what else you're doing. I think if your schedule is reasonably light and you can put in about 10-20 hours per week to study (depending on your needs), you should have enough time. Most people take 2-3 months to study for the MCAT. I studied for about ten weeks.

8) You might take one now to use as a diagnostic if you haven't already done one. But I'd wait and take most of them toward the end (say, after Thanksgiving) once you've had more time to review. Don't do them more than twice a week max or you might burn out.

Best of luck to you. :)

I'd say algebraic physics is better to take - that's how it is on the MCAT.

Of course, if you want to do something that involves physics later on in life the calculus based on is probably the better bet. =\

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A very basic question: how do you prepare for the computer based exam? Is there any way to practice taking MCAT on computer without paying $1,500+ to Kaplan/Princeton Review?

A very basic question: how do you prepare for the computer based exam? Is there any way to practice taking MCAT on computer without paying $1,500+ to Kaplan/Princeton Review?

Absolutely. Lots of people here have self-study success stories.

I highly recommend buying the ExamKrackers books along with 101 Passages for Verbal. They are very condensed and to the point. The Audio Osmosis that accompanies the books is very good also because they discuss a little bit more detail and it just helps in general to have someone talk the material back to you.

You'll eventually hit a spot in the EK books which doesn't really make sense without additional detail. In that case you can come here and ask the questions, go to EK's forum, or reference a text book.

To practice, just buy the AAMC tests. For Verbal, use the 101 Passages.

I'm doing a review course by the way, but I think it is very possible to do well without taking an expensive review course. I would still expect to spend a few hundred dollars on prep material though.

Thanks for your posting. I am specifically concerned about taking the computer exam (even more than content), and want to practice it. Any thoughts on this? Thanks again!

Thanks for your posting. I am specifically concerned about taking the computer exam (even more than content), and want to practice it. Any thoughts on this? Thanks again!
It's important that you get a hold of some practice tests on computer and take them under test-like conditions (timing, environment, etc.). The AAMC offers one for free (test 3R) and is currently selling two others, I believe. Kaplan and TPR both have a free test at their sites you can take. (The only thing is that you'll have to put up with them soliciting you to take their courses if you register on their sites to take their tests.)

hello,

I am a freshman right now and i was thinking of taking orgranic chem I and II over the summer and then taking physics I and biochem I (1st semester soph yr) and physics II and anatomy & phys (2nd semester) then have my sophmore summer to practice MCATs and maybe do some summer research during the day and come back home and do MCATs at night and take it in august before my junior year.

I was wondering if that is a good gameplan? I am a bit scared of the MCATS because I am not a good standardized test taker and want the time over the summer when classes arent there to really prac the MCATs. I also EMTing and in other clubs during the school year so it would be hard fitting in MCATs over the semester. I am just worried I might not retain anything by taking orgo over the summer

If taking orgo chem during my freshman summer is a bad idea, what else can i do?

thank u for the advice

hello,

I am a freshman right now and i was thinking of taking orgranic chem I and II over the summer and then taking physics I and biochem I (1st semester soph yr) and physics II and anatomy & phys (2nd semester) then have my sophmore summer to practice MCATs and maybe do some summer research during the day and come back home and do MCATs at night and take it in august before my junior year.

I was wondering if that is a good gameplan? I am a bit scared of the MCATS because I am not a good standardized test taker and want the time over the summer when classes arent there to really prac the MCATs. I also EMTing and in other clubs during the school year so it would be hard fitting in MCATs over the semester. I am just worried I might not retain anything by taking orgo over the summer

If taking orgo chem during my freshman summer is a bad idea, what else can i do?

thank u for the advice

hello,

I am a freshman right now and i was thinking of taking orgranic chem I and II over the summer and then taking physics I and biochem I (1st semester soph yr) and physics II and anatomy & phys (2nd semester) then have my sophmore summer to practice MCATs and maybe do some summer research during the day and come back home and do MCATs at night and take it in august before my junior year.

I was wondering if that is a good gameplan? I am a bit scared of the MCATS because I am not a good standardized test taker and want the time over the summer when classes arent there to really prac the MCATs. I also EMTing and in other clubs during the school year so it would be hard fitting in MCATs over the semester. I am just worried I might not retain anything by taking orgo over the summer

If taking orgo chem during my freshman summer is a bad idea, what else can i do?

thank u for the advice

this is a great gameplan :D :D just be careful of your workload; you will need excellent time management to not die of stress :)

if you are worried about retaining information, simply do what students of a new language do: use the info all the time. You can't remember Sn2? Spend a few minutes everyday writing 5 Sn2 reactions. You can't remember the difference between pronation and supination? Look at pictures of this every day. Just repeat it over and over again, then you will have no reason at all to be scared of the MCAT. In fact the MCAT should be scared of you if you are a diligent students and get A's in all those classes.

Good luck!

thank you for your advice

I was thinking of another gameplan.. what if I took orgo chem and physics together my soph year and then I had the summer to prac the MCATs with everything fresh on my memory and can take it august before my junior year. But I am worried because I wouldnt have had physciology or microbiology.

If you could give me your opinon on doing that instead of the other option (in the other post) I would appreciate it

thank you in advance

is it possible for you to make a course schedule that includes all the classes of the MCAT before you take the MCAT? This of course would be the best option.

However, if you can't do that, I think your 2nd plan will still be feasible. Because, physiology and microbiology are not strictly needed on the MCAT. I don't think that the MCAT will ever ask you to devise a selection method using X-gal for your bacterial clones, that you are using to express insulin DNA (from a general Microbiology class) or trace the route of an overheat stimulus from your index finger, naming all nerves along the way and telling the neurotransmitters involved (a physiology class). You will only ever encounter very basic things from these subjects, which a general biology course will most probably cover for you. So, if you miss physiology and microbiology, I think there is no sweat.

As long as you cover

Physics
Organic Chemistry
General Chemistry
General Biology
and good English

before the MCAT and leave yourself study time

you are in good shape.

thank you for your advice

I was thinking of another gameplan.. what if I took orgo chem and physics together my soph year and then I had the summer to prac the MCATs with everything fresh on my memory and can take it august before my junior year. But I am worried because I wouldnt have had physciology or microbiology.

If you could give me your opinon on doing that instead of the other option (in the other post) I would appreciate it

thank you in advance
The things tested on the MCAT from those two courses will also be covered in your intro biology class. Of the two I think physio might be more helpful depending on how good your physio section in intro bio was. But if you don't have time I think you'll still be fine.

I took Organic during the fall/spring semesters and I've heard some horror stories about taking it over the summer. If you can find an upper classman who has taken it over the summer at your school, I'd ask them how it was. That varies from school to school and at your uni it might be fine. :)

Good luck!

bumping. :)

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Do u have a blog?

Do u have a blog?
You don't think this subforum is enough??? :laugh:

You don't think this subforum is enough??? :laugh:

I just want to have a realistic med school experience from a successful person like you.


Thanks!

I just want to have a realistic med school experience from a successful person like you.


Thanks!
Sigh, there is a very long way to go until I become an MD still. Right now I'm just thinking about how to get through my exam next week. :p

If you want to read med student blogs, there are tons of them on SDN. Some blogs are blogs sponsored by SDN (http://www.studentdoctor.net/diary/), and some of the blogs are just linked to SDN from Google (http://forums.studentdoctor.net/links/browselinks.php?c=10).

There's also a really good website, Blogs of Medical Students (http://www.medicalstudentblogs.blogspot.com/), that has links to tons of great blogs written by med students from all over the world. Check it out. It's pretty fun to read blogs from med students in other countries; amazingly, we all go through pretty much the same s*** no matter where we are. :meanie:

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Hi, I have a problem finishing the verbal section on time. I always end up with at least 2 passages with 15 minutes left. I've tried pacing myself so that I go through about less than 10 minutes per passage, but with the timer counting down, it's sometimes difficult for me to gauge. I've been scoring 9's in the Kaplan full-lengths and that's with my "semi-guessing" on the last passage (using the Kaplan startegy of reading the first sentence of each paragraph if you only have 5 minutes left to a passage). I believe that if I could just finish, I could raise that to a 10 since I'm already getting a hang of how to answer verbal questions. I tried doing the "guess-and-move-on" strategy on difficult questions, but often I feel like I could answer the question if spend just a little more time on it (and often times I do get it right).

I haven't done any AAMC tests yet except CBT 3R as a diagnostic where I scored a 6 on VR.

Any tips appreciated! Thanks!

P.S.> Mods: I just realized I posted on the wrong forum. Please feel free to move this to the Verbal Q&A section or wherever you see fit. Sorry!

As a result of an atrocious freshman gpa, I am going to need to wait till after my senior year to apply because I need the extra time to bring my ugpa up. However, I will have taken all my prereqs by the end of the 2007-2008 (my junior) year. Should I take the mcat after my junior year when the material is fresh or give myself an extra year to study?

I don't mind putting in more time if it is effective, but I have not encountered anyone on these boards who says they studied longer than say 6 months. Is this referring only to the hardcore lockdown pre-test date studying?

And, if you advise waiting till the year I am applying, is there a thread somewhere that refers to long-term study strategies?

As a result of an atrocious freshman gpa, I am going to need to wait till after my senior year to apply because I need the extra time to bring my ugpa up. However, I will have taken all my prereqs by the end of the 2007-2008 (my junior) year. Should I take the mcat after my junior year when the material is fresh or give myself an extra year to study?

I don't mind putting in more time if it is effective, but I have not encountered anyone on these boards who says they studied longer than say 6 months. Is this referring only to the hardcore lockdown pre-test date studying?

And, if you advise waiting till the year I am applying, is there a thread somewhere that refers to long-term study strategies?
I would advise you to take the MCAT when you are prepared and feel ready to take it. Most people take it 3-6 months after finishing the pre-reqs. If you do well in your pre-reqs and do not need extensive review, you can take it that summer or fall after your junior year and be done. Just be aware that scores do expire after 3 years at most medical schools, so make sure that your timing will work out for the schools where you want to apply. :luck: to you. :)

Cool, thanks Q.

I posted this on the main page but I realized that I may get more/better feedback on this page.

hey all

I know the consensus on this site is that the AAMC CBT 3 is ridiculously easy and that 7-10 are better indicators of how well (or badly) you will do on the real exam. I took CBT 3 and got a 37 (13 PS, 12VR, and 12 BS) but a week later I took a Kaplan diagnostic that they offered at my school and got a 29 (10 PS, 8 VR, and 11BS) so now I'm not really sure where I stand.

How much easier is CBT 3 than the real stuff? And what is the comparison between Kaplan's FLs and the AAMC exams? And how much should I be studying? Because I'm totally cool with a 37 ;-) but that 29 definitely freaked me out. (I'm taking it Aug 14th, so I have time to study, so I'll probably be OK either was - it was more the inconsistency that bothers me since I'm shooting for MD/PhD so I can't really afford to retake - I need to nail it the first time.)

I guess my question is, which score is a better representation of what I would actually get and how seriously should I be studying? Do I just write off the kaplan as a bad day or write off the CBT3 as too easy? Is it a good idea for me to take another practice test soon to see which score was more accurate?

Thanks for the input.

I would advise you to take the MCAT when you are prepared and feel ready to take it. Most people take it 3-6 months after finishing the pre-reqs. If you do well in your pre-reqs and do not need extensive review, you can take it that summer or fall after your junior year and be done. Just be aware that scores do expire after 3 years at most medical schools, so make sure that your timing will work out for the schools where you want to apply. :luck: to you. :)

Message Deleted

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As I'm using the Kaplan premier program study guide I am noticing a huge section of review for Anatomy and Physiology. At my university, there is no requirement of Anatomy and Physiology for a Pre-Med Major. I also don't notice it as a requirement for Med Schools. Do I really need to know Anatomy and Physiology for the MCAT or is it just for help on passage-based questions so you're not lost? Any help on this subject would be great. Thanks!

Hello,

I have taken aamc cbt 3, 4, and 10, and got 10ps, 10bs on all the tests. (In about 2 weeks apart from each other; took the cbt 10 three days ago)
Throughout all the practice tests, I felt really good about both ps and bs section finishing them with spare time of 15 minutes.

First question is,
In my point of view, the science passages on cbt 3, 4, and 10 were shorter than the practice passages from ek or TPR. Everybody is talking about verbal passages being long, but I was wondering if the real mcat science passages are much longer than the aamc cbt science passages.

Next question is: I hear people commenting about recent ps and bs section being much harder than the practice aamc test. So, I was wondering would it be a good idea to practice more on hard practice passages from TPR or EK?

My last problem is that although I feel very confident while taking the test, and it always feels like I missed two or three questions, I never seem to get pass 10. I had no problem with science in college, and I feel like I reviewed the material throughly, so could it be problems in my test taking skills?

I heard that test taking skills are very important and can be improved by taking more practice tests. Thus, I was wondering if somebody was stuck on their science scores after reviewing all the material and managed to improve it by taking more practice test and analyzing the tests throughly. What exactly did you do after the test to improve your test taking skills?

Thanks, :laugh:

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Hello. I am a junior year engineering student preparing to take the MCAT this upcoming January. Based on the recommendations of fellow students in my program and past takers of the MCAT, I decided to go ahead and take it in January to leave the option of retaking open if necessary.

I purchased the EK Complete (Home) Study Package and am now about half way through it. Unfortunately, I have gotten so caught up with studying the chapters and taking notes on the material presented that quite often I have not made it to the 30-min. diagnostic test at the end of each "lecture." Now I am trying to catch up during the "soft week" they plan for in the 5th week of studies, and some of these test scores are totally demoralizing. I got a 10 on a certain PS test, but then I got the equivalent of a 6 tonight. I took the AAMC 3 CBT Exam 2 weeks ago and scored PS 9 BS 7 VR 10. For a first time, I guess it's OK (but it really isn't). These continued poor performances on diagnostic materials are aggravating for me, to the point where I just can't tolerate it, and I am just a mental wreck. I take my work and my studies very seriously, and when I'm not getting results, I find no one to blame but myself.

Anyways, I am frustrated because half way through this whole mess I am unsure of what direction to go in. Should I continue to move forward and complete all of the material once through before going back, or should I stop and review the material I have covered thus far before proceeding? I never had a problem with the individual science courses during my first two years. In high school I scored 30+ and 1400+ on my ACT and SAT, respectively, not that they are MCAT indicators, but standardized tests were not a problem for me in the past. I am in OCHEM1 right now, and I anticipate not having had a full semester of OCHEM2 will probable hurt me. Next semester is, according to my academic adviser, going to be the most difficult for students in my particular major. I therefore cannot afford to drag the prep. process for the MCAT through 'til April unless there's no way around it.

For some reason these scores are really getting to me and creating the image in my mind that this one exam is going to hold me back from becoming a physician. On top of my classes, working part-time, and volunteering & doing community service, I eek by trying to set aside a few hours a day for MCAT prep. I just don't know what to do...I need to get my act together during the next 2.5 months so I can take a good crack at this exam I just paid $210 to have the privelage to take.

I guess one thing I should say is that every time I am taking a practice something (questions, full length, whatever) I get the feeling that I'm being tricked on a lot of questions. When I get to the end, I realize, yes, contrary to what I thought, a lot of these questions had obscure answers that required me to think in exactly the way AAMC wanted me to think. This is most disconcerting because throughout college, my way of thinking has not failed me until now. It seems AAMC wants to instill a new paradigm of critical thinking as if the MCAT is somehow going to make you a better doctor. I just don't buy that. Anyways, I've got an ochem exam on MOnday to study for while I try and collect myself and take more practice tests and read more materials in the upcoming weeks. I took a "lighter" load this semester, but these classes are just piling on the work. Data Structures, Linear Systems, Physiology, and Orgo...I'm not sure if I should just make MCAT prep. my number 1 priority and take what I can get in these courses as I can afford a hit in my GPA, but IDK... Please help, somebody.

Hello. I am a junior year engineering student preparing to take the MCAT this upcoming January. Based on the recommendations of fellow students in my program and past takers of the MCAT, I decided to go ahead and take it in January to leave the option of retaking open if necessary.

I purchased the EK Complete (Home) Study Package and am now about half way through it. Unfortunately, I have gotten so caught up with studying the chapters and taking notes on the material presented that quite often I have not made it to the 30-min. diagnostic test at the end of each "lecture." Now I am trying to catch up during the "soft week" they plan for in the 5th week of studies, and some of these test scores are totally demoralizing. I got a 10 on a certain PS test, but then I got the equivalent of a 6 tonight. I took the AAMC 3 CBT Exam 2 weeks ago and scored PS 9 BS 7 VR 10. For a first time, I guess it's OK (but it really isn't). These continued poor performances on diagnostic materials are aggravating for me, to the point where I just can't tolerate it, and I am just a mental wreck. I take my work and my studies very seriously, and when I'm not getting results, I find no one to blame but myself.

Anyways, I am frustrated because half way through this whole mess I am unsure of what direction to go in. Should I continue to move forward and complete all of the material once t